Automatic keyhole lock cover



Nov. 30, 1948.

E. N. JACOB] AUTOMATIC KEYHOLE. LOCK COVER Filed March 2, 1945 5 sheets-sheen 1 Nov. 30, 1948. 4 E. N; JACOB! AUTOMATIC KEYHOLE LOCK COVER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fi led March .2, 1945 QESH I m Q $$4M9MM Edward Nlfimbz' Nov. 30 1 948 N. JACOBI 2,454,925

AUTOMATIC: KEYHCLE LOCK COVER Filed'March 2, 1945 I a Sheets-Sheet 3 A w i i atented Nov. 30, 1948 unirno STATES eaten-r O-FIC E AUTOMATIG KEYHOLE LOGK COVER Edward- Ni Jacobi; Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Briggs. & Stratton Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis, a: corporation of Delaware ApplicationM-arcl'r 2, 1945, Serial Noe-580,506

(C1,, Bios-455) I 12. Claims. 1

This-invention "relates: toxlocks .of thecylinder typeisuch as are. used extensively irrautomobile door and deck handles and refersparticularlyvto covers. for such locks These covers are commonlyitermed dust covers and: one such type-of cylinder lock providedwith a dust? cover is shown and. described incPatent No; 2,213,814, is.-

sued September. 3., 1940 toE'dwardcN. Jacobi.

Asrexplainedat length inithe aforesaid patent, covers of the automatic? type areemuch :preferabletovthose necessitating manual closure after 'keyoperationofrthercylinderto either its locked or unlocked. position,v for the manuallyyclosed cover is usually left in.aniop'enrposition:

Inwthe automatically;operated cover however, the cover may be opened by the same hand employed to insert the key in the lock or by the key itself, and thehcover is retained in open position by meansrof a: detent or the like; to be released for spring propelled closure :blt means acting upon L the detent during rotation of the lock cylinder awayxfrom its keyginserting-or removing: positions. fience the .cover'isnaps to a closed position covering the front of the lock cylinder upon withdrawal of the .key.

One of the objects of the present invention is tocprovide an improvedautomatic dust cover construction for locks-of theicharacter described.

More .specificallyit is anzobiiect of thi invention to provide anautomatiotype'cover construetion for looks of the characterldescribed. in which the cover-is hingedfroml the lock body to swing about an axis normal to thelock cylinder axis-to andirrom a position covering -thefront'face of the lockicylinder;

Anotherobject of-this inventionisto provide a coverconstruction fordocks of the characterd-escribed in whichzall of thecrevicesat; the'oovered face-of thelock zare'sealed against the entry of .rain water so that the cover has-the-combined functions of protecting against the ingress of dust, rain Water, ordirt into the lock cylinder. With the above and other objects in view; which will appear: as the description proceeds, this irrv'ention resides inthe' novel construction, com? bination "and arrangement "of parts substantially as hereinafter. described; and: more particularly defined by" the appended claims," itbeing understood that such? changes in :the: precisezembodiment of the 'hereindisclosed invention 'niay. be made as come within th'e'scope-ofvthe claimsia The accompanying drawings illustrates: one complete example of thesphysicalembodiment of the invention, constructed in accordance with the best mode 'sozfarldevised for the practical application of the principles thereof"; and in'which-z- Figure 1 isa "view partly in side elevation and partly in section of :aeloclchaving the oover of this invention appliedztheretov. mFigure 21s axview similar to Figure-:1 illustrat 2.. the manner inxwhich the cover isvautomati cally'cheld' in airaised position providing access to thelock cylinder;

F gure 3 is a cross sectional view taken substan tially on the plane of the line 33 of Figure 1 v Figure 4 is a perspective view of the-forward end of the clock showing the; escutcheon; cap and cover. in assembled: relationship but. separated irointitelocnsbody;

Figure 5 15' a. fragmentary longitudinal sectional Viewv through a front portion of the lock body illustrating the mechanism for: holding thei cover irriits raised'positiorriandfor effecting release of the cover; and I Figures- 6 to: 11 inclusive-are more or less diagrammatic views illustrating the action .of I the cover release mechanismat various positions of rotation of the look cylinder;

Referring now more particularly to the accompanyingdrawingsiniwhioh like numerals indicate' like par-ts, the numeral-t designatesa die castlockbody or "ca-sing provided with an en'- larged head- 5 "at its front somewhat oval-shaped in'cross section butbeing'more or lessfiat'at' the top side ofthehead. Viewed from'the side,

it will be seen thatth'ejhead '6 has a canopy lik'e shape by reason of an overhanging portion l at the .top of "the head. This canopy has acentral cored out portion providing a'recess 3 opening to'th'e fro-ntgof th'e'body andleaving spaced ears or lugs. sat either side of the recess'for' a purpose to be later.describedf The lock' casing has a longitudinalbore Ml therein to ro-tatably. receive a lock cylinder ll. As islcustomar-y, thellolckrcylinder is provided with a keyway ll openinglto the front .th'ereof adjacent to the enlargement 6 fortthe reception 0t aflpropernkey (not shown v-by whichflthe tumblersof the lock are-retracted from engagement in which the ifront end-of-lthe locksoylinder is received, and a radial-flange. l4 bentioutwardly from: the inner extremity of the skirt.

The front and sideswof thetenlargernent-6rare covered by aplated and polished.escutcheoncap 15 of relatively thin:sheet-metal" This-acapnlfi closes the 53360685 eat the front er-the enlarge rnent-t and is bent around andunderrthe canopylike overhanging portion i so as v toe-conform to the configuration of the front face-ofthe'dook body; Flanges: l5 a bent inwardly l-from the sides of the cap engage behind the enlargement so as to hold the cap in place thereon.

In line with the front of the lock cylinder the escutcheon cap it: is formed with an inwardly projecting cylindrical wall ll of slightly larger diameter than the skirt of the finishing cap i2, and a radial inwardly projecting annular flange It on the inner end of the wall It engages the front of the flange It on the finishing cap i2 to hold the same in position on the end of the lock cylinder. The flange Is also rotatably receives the skirt of the cap l2 and hence provides a pilot bearing for the front of the lock cylinder.

The cover 29 of this invention is mounted upon a hinge pin 2| positioned within the recess 8 and having its ends received in suitable apertures 22 in'the lugs 9 at opposite sides of the canopy-like overhanging portion 1. The hinge pin thus extends transversely of the lock cylinder axis.

A wall section 23 semi-cylindrical in cross section is formed at the upper end. of the cover flap and projects through a suitable aperture 2i in the escutcheon cap i5 to operate within the recess 8. Ears bent'inwardly from the opposite ends of the wall section 23 are pierced substantially at the center of curvature of the drical wall I! and to improve the seal at the contact area therebetween the cover and escutcheon cap l5 are formed with conical-like surfaces converging toward a point outwardly of the front of the lock body as shown in Figure 1.

The ears 25 are spaced apart only slightly less than the transverse dimension of the recess 8 so that their engagement with the lugs 9 holds the cover centered with respect to the axis of the lock cylinder. A torsion spring 2'1 coiled about the hinge pin 2| has one of its ends 28 received in a recess 29 in the enlargement 6 and has its other end 30 engaged behind a tang 3| struck substantially radially inwardly from the free extremity of the semi-cylindrical wall section 23 so that the spring at all times exerts a yielding force on the cover tending to close or hold the same closed and tightly engaged with the escutcheon cap l5.

Thus, the cover is free to swing about the axis of the hinge pin 2| to its open position shown in Figure 2 and which may be defined by engagement of the external extremity of the wall section 23 with the front of the escutcheon cap l5 alongside the recess 8. In this position of the cover a detent 33 formed on the outer end of a plunger 34 slidably received in a longitudinal bore 35 of the lock body slightly below the plane of the hinge axis but above the bore I0 is projected forwardly out of its bore by a compression spring 36 confined in the bottom thereof behind the plunger to engage over a substantially radial shoulder 31 on the semi-cylindrical wall section 23 of the cover adjacent to its end confined within the recess 8. This shoulder is provided by notching the confined end of the wall section 23 as shown at 3'! in Figures 3 and 4,

the notch 3'? obviously allowing the detent to snap into place as the cover approaches its fully open position.

Lifting of the cover is facilitated by a tab 38 projecting from the lower edge of the cover outwardly of the enlargement 6, and when swung to its raised position shown in Figure 2 the detent 33 automatically operates to hold the cover open for key insertion and operation of the lock.

The cover is held in open position in this mannor for substantially the full rotation of the cylinder to either locked or unlocked position depending upon the condition of the lock at the time of key insertion, and cover release mechanism generally indicated by the numeral 39 is provided to retract the detent 33 to allow the cover to be propelled toward closed position by its spring 21 immediately prior to completion of lock cylinder rotation.

The cover release mechanism comprises a cam washer 4|] having a bore 4| by which it is slidably received on the front end of the lock cylinder behind the flange 13 of the finishing cap 12. The washer is non-rotatable on the lock cylinder, however, by reason of the engagement of diametrically opposite flat portions 42 on the washer with flattened surfaces 43 on the exterior of the lock cylinder. This arrangement forms in effect a splined connection between the washer and the lock cylinder which constrains the Washer to 1'0- tation with the cylinder but enables the washer to slide axially along the exterior of the cylinder at the front end thereof.

Circumferentially spaced cam blades 44 and 45 project radially outwardly from the outer periphery of the washer for cooperation with a side arm 46 depending from the detent 33. These cam blades are twisted out of the plane of the cam washer so that the planes of the blades converge rearwardly of the washer, and the blades lie at opposite sides of the detent arm 46 in both the locked and unlocked positions of the lock cylinder as shown in Figures 3 and 6.

A plunger 41 slidably received in a longitudinal bore 48 between the bores 36 and i8 and projected outwardly of its bore by a compression spring 49 engages against the rear face of the cam washer to normally hold the same in its forward position abutting against the flange l3 of the finishing cap I2.

When the'cover is raised to open position and the detent 33 engaged therewith to hold the same open, the inner faces 50 and 5| of the cam blades act to cam the washer rearwardly against the action of the spring 49 upon initial rotation of the lock cylinder in either clockwise or counterclockwise direction by reason of the engagement of one of the cams with the side arm 46 of the detent without disturbing or retracting the detent.

Hence, it will be seen that the washer merely cams itself around the detent arm 46 during initial rotation of the lock cylinder and the cover remains open until continued rotation of the cylinder through close to 360 to either lock or unlock the same brings one or the other of the faces 52 or 53 of the cam blades into engagement with the detent arm 46 to force the same backwardly into its bore as shown in Figures 10 and 11. The detent 33 is thus retracted during final rotation of the lock cylinder or just before the cylinder has been rotated to its full, locked or unlocked position 360 removed from its initial starting position.

Retraction of the detent in this manner frees the cover for closure by the torsion spring 21, but actual closure is, of course, delayed until the key is removed from the lock cylinder.

In the lock construction shown, the key of the lock is removable upon rotation of the lock cylentrees i'nderthrough 360 toaeithertitsiocked OI'ZllIlTOCkBd positions In other well-known. contructions, however, rotation ofthelock cylinder is sometimes limited to less than 360 so that key removal. is possible only in. aneutral position'of the cylinder corresponding to: the position-of rotationof the cylinder in Figures 3 and 6. 'In both types of lock construction, however, the cams effect release of the cover forclosure upon-T- tation of th'evlock cylinder toward a key removing position.

Attention is directed to thefact that :the'overhanging canopy-like portion 7 at the front-of thexlock body has a particular functionnin'thatfit cooperates with thezcover particularly at the junction between the flat surface of the cover and the semi-cylindrical section thereof to .effect the transfer; of rain water from the canopy to the cover'so'that it may drop. freely from .the bottom edges 70f the cover. This minimizes. the possibility of rain water entering the lock body -at the aperturez l of the cap l; and which is directly beneath the overhanging portion 1 of the body. Further protectionagainst theingress of 'rain water maybe had by the provision of a soft rubthe gasket for the cover is undersize so that the edgesthereof seal againstthe cover section 23 passing. therethrough.

The gasket also acts as a squeegee duringopening; and closing. of the cover in rainy weather toxexclude rain water and to otherwise exclude dust or. moisture from entering'the interior of the cap. Obviously, in order to achieve full effectiveness the rubber gasket is vulcanized or otherwise bonded to the back of theescutcheon cap-to hold the same tightly thereagainst.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, it will be readily apparent that the automatic key hole lock cover of this invention represents an improvement overpast devices of this type-especially'with regard to the exclusion of dust and moisture from the interior of the look.

What I claim as my invention is:

1.:In a look: a lock body/having abore opening to the front face of the body; a key controlled lockcylinder rotatable in the bore; a cover mov ably mounted on the lock body and engageable over the front face thereof to cover the front of the lock cylinder; a spring for yieldingly urging the coverlto its closed position; retainingmeans for holdinglthe cover in. an open positiomprovidingaccess to. the look cylinder, said. retaining means being movably carried by the. lock'body and operatively engaged with. a part on the cover when the same is moved away from the front zof the lock cylinder to uncover the same; 'andmeans for disabling said retaining means comprising, a cam rotatable with the lock cylindenandlengagm able with the retaining means upon rotation of the cylinder toward key removing position to carry the retaining means out of engagement with said part on the cover so as to free the cover forspring propelled motion toward its closed position 2. In a look: a lock body having a bore; a key controlled lock cylinder rotatable in said bore with the front face of the cylinder exposed at the mouth of the bore; a cover for closing the mouth of the bore; a hinge for the cover carried by the lock body at one side of the mouth of said bore and mountings-the cover tforzfiatwise. swingingrrnoe tiorrzon: an :axis. :normal to the axislof the lock cylinder toward and from: its closed position cove eringthezmouth Of 'SELid'ibOI'G; means for releasa'blyhol'dingrthiercoverciri closed position; a detent carried by'xthe .lockibody and biased into engagementwith :a portion of the cover adjacent to.its ahingesand projectible into a notch inthe cover upon. motion :thereof .to. its vopen position to:-hold-the. cover opem'and cam mechanism carried by-the lock cylinder for retractingv said detent .upon rotation-oi the lock cylinder toward key'rernovingqposition so as to free thecover for motion toward. its closed position.

- 3. .In a lockzzea lock body having-an. enlarged headtand haying a'bore-the mouth of which opens tozthe head end thereof, saidhead being coune terbored at the vmouth of" the bore; a .key :con trolled lock. cylinder rotatable in the core and having its front face projecting into said coun terbo1e;-:a cover for closin'gt'said counterbore'so as to conceal. the front of the lock cylinder; a hinge carried by, the lock body mounting. the cover: for swinging imotionon an aXis transverselylto :the lock cylinderaxis; .a spring reacting between thelock body and the cover for yieldingly. urging thelcover toward closed position covering said counterbore; an escutcheon cap secured over said enlargedhead so as to conoealvthel-hinge and springiand having an opening adjacentto saidihinge through which the cover projects for connection with the hinge; a cylindricalwall on, said escutcheon cap projecting intothe counterboretoward the face of the lock cylinder; a finishing cap telecsc'ped over the faceof the lock cylinder and having a circumferential flange projecting radially outwardly from its inner end portion; a. circumferential flange projecting radially inwardly from the innor end portion of said cylindrical wall and having an aperture therein to receive the finishing cap, said inwardly directed flange engaging-the flange of the. finishing cap' to hold "the. same place'on the front face of the. cylinder, andtacting as a pilot bearingcior the frontier the lock cylinder; a-detent engageable withua: part on the cover tc-hold the sameopen upon movement of the cover to anropen :position; providing access tothe front of the-lock cylinder; and: cam

mechanism disposed. in" said 7 counterbore and driven by thelock 'cylindersduringi rotation thereof toward key removing; position :for. disengaging the detent to thereby permit spring propelled closure of the cover.

4;. In alock: a lockabody having an enlarged head atoneendrand having a bore the mouth of which opensto the head throughia 'countei bore; an escutcheon: cap fixedlover said. enlarged head a keyccontrolledulock: cylinder rotatable in the bore andshav-in'g it'srfront face projecting intorthe counterbore; a finishing .cap teiescoped over :the front of thedock'cylihder; means on said caps cooperatingnto"hbldtthefinishing cap in place on) the lockrcylinderfwith' the ecsutcheon oap providing a bearing; for supporting the :front ofthe lock cylinder; said enlargedgheadihavir'igm recess therein communicated with the counterboreand covered by the escutcheon cap; a pin mounted in the head-at; the recessed portion thereof;- acoverfor the mouth of said bore-having .acylindrically shaped enda portion projecting ,coveringsaid counterbore; aspring-gin :saidrecess oil ed about said pin and reacting between the lock body and the cover for yieldingly urging the cover toward its closed position; a detent slidably carried by the lock body and biased to a position engaging the cover, said cover having a notch therein to receive the detent when cover is lifted to an open position providing ac cess to the face of the lock cylinder so that the detent is operable to retain the cover in such opened position; a washer in said counterbore slidably but non-rotatably connected with the lock cylinder; means for yieldingly biasing the washer to a position defined by its engagement with the inner end of the finishing cap; and cam means on said washer engageable with the detent upon rotation of the cylinder in either direction toward key removing position for disengaging the detent from the cover to thereby enable spring propelled motion of the cover toward closed position.

5. In a look: a lock body having a bore opening to the front face of the body; a key conlock cylinder to provide access thereto; means movably carried by the lock body for engagement with a part on the co er when the same is moved away from the front of the lock cylinder to provide access thereto for retaining the cover in such open position; and means on the lock cylinder rendered operative by rotation of the cylinder toward key removing position for disengaging said retaining means from the cover so as to permit closing motion of the cover to said position engaging over the front face of the lock body and covering the mouth of the bore therein.

6. In a, look: a lock body having a bore opening to its front face; a lock cylinder rotatable in the bore between locked and unlocked positions; a cover for the front of the lock cylinder; means mountingthe cover from the lock body for swinging motion about an axis normal to the cylinder axis to enable the cover to be moved from a position covering the face of the lock cylinder to an open position providing access to the lock cylinder for the insertion of a key thereinto; spring meansacting on the cover to yieldingly urge the same toward closed position; means carried by the cover and the lock body cooperable when the cover is raised to open position for holding the cover in said raised position against the force of the spring means acting thereon, said lock body carried means being movable relatively to the lock cylinder; and means actuated by rotation of the lock cylinder for moving said lock body carried means out of operative relationship with respect to the cover carried means to effect release of the cover for closure.

'7. In a look: a lock body having a bore opening to the front face of the body; a key controlled lock cylinder rotatable in the bore; a cover movably mounted on the lock body and engageable over the front facethereof to cover the front of the lock cylinder; retaining means for holding the cover in an open position providing access to the lock cylinder, said retaining means being movably carried by the lock body and operatively engaged with a part on the cover when the same is moved away from the front of the lock cylinder to uncover the same; and cover releasing means engageable with said retaining means to move the same out of operative position with respect to said cover part by rotation of the lock cylinder toward key removing position.

8. In a look: a lock body having a bore opening to its front face; a key controlled lock cylinder rotatable in the bore between locked and unlocked positions, the key being insertable in and removable from the lock cylinder in at least the locked condition of the cylinder; a cover for the front of the lock cylinder; a hinge connection between the cover and lock body mounting the cover to swing about an axis normal to and spaced from the cylinder axis from a closed position covering the front of the lock cylinder to a raised position exposing the lock cylinder for key actuation; means separate from the lock cylinder engageable with the cover in the raised position of the cover for holding the same in said raised position; and cover release means rendered operative by rotation of the lock cylinder within its quadrant of rotation toward locked position for disabling said cover holding means so as to free the cover for closure, said cover release means being inoperarotation of the lock cylinder in its quadrant of rotation away from locked position.

9. In a look: a lock body having a bore; a key controlled lock cylinder rotatable in said bore with the front end portion of the cylinder disposed in a counterbore defining the mouth of said bore; an escutcheon cap fixed over the lock body at the front thereof and having an aperture therein providing access to the front end portion 3 of the lock cylinder; 9. cover for closing said aperture in the escutcheon cap; said lock body having a recess in its front end portion adjacent to said counterbore closed by said escutcheon cap; cooperating hinge parts carried by the lock body .3 and the cover and disposed in said recess providing for fiatwise swinging motion of the cover about an axis normal to the lock cylinder axis; means for releasably holding the cover in a closed position engaging over said aperture in the escutcheon cap to preclude access to the front of the lock cylinder; a detent carried by the lock body and biased into engagement with a portion of the cover adjacent to its hinge upon motion of the cover to an open position at which access is provided to the front portion of the lock cylinder for holding the cover open; cam means for disabling said detent, said cam means being slidable axially in said counterbore and biased outwardly thereof; means on the escutcheon cap disposed in said counterbore forwardly of the cam means for limiting outward sliding motion of the cam means in response to the biasing force acting thereon; and a driving connection between the lock cylinder and said cam means whereby rotation of the lock cylinder toward a key removing position renders said cam means operative to disable the detent and thereby free the cover for closing motion.

10. In a lock having body bored to rotatably receive a key controlled lock cylinder with the front face of the cylinder disposed in a counterbore defining the mouth of the bore so as to be accessible for key actuation: an enlarged head on the front portion of the lock body having a recess therein opening to the front of the body adjacent to said counterbore; on escutcheon cap over said enlarged head so as to close said recess therein, said escutcheon cap having an aperture therein providing access to the lock cylinder for 7 key actuation thereof; a cover having a. body portion adapted to engage substantially fiatwise over said escutcheon cap to close the aperture therein, and having a hinge part projecting through a close fitting slot in the escutcheon cap to lie within the recess in the enlarged head; hinge means within said recess and enclosed by the escutcheon cap cooperating with the hinge part on the cover to mount the same for swinging motion to and from a position engaging the escutcheon cap to close the aperture therein; cooperating detent means on said cover hinge part and the lock body engageable upon swinging motion of the cover to an open position affording access to the front face of the lock cylinder for holding the cover open; cam means disposed in said counterbore for disabling said detent means; a driving connection between the lock cylinder and the cam means for rendering the latter effective to disable the detent means upon rotation of the lock cylinder toward a key removing position so as to free the cover for closing motion; and means on the escutcheon cap projecting into said counterbore in front of the cam means to retain the same in the counterbore and to conceal the same from view.

11. In a lock of the type having a lock body provided with a bore to rotatably receive a key controlled lock cylinder: an enlarged head on the front of said body having a counterbore therein into which the front portion of the lock cylinder projects; a forwardly projecting ledge on the upper portion of said enlarged head overlying the mouth of the counterbore therein, said ledge having a recess opening to the front thereof; an escutcheon cap fixed over said enlarged head and having an aperture providing access to the front of the lock cylinder, said escutcheon cap fitting around said overhanging ledge so as to close the recess therein; a cover engageable over the apertured portion of the escutcheon cap beneath said ledge so as to render the front portion of the lock cylinder inaccessible, said cover having a part extending upwardly through a relatively close fitting slot in the escutcheon cap into saidrecess; and a hinge connection between the lock body and said upwardly extending cover part inside said recess and behind the escutcheon cap whereby said hinge connection for the cover is enclosed by the escutcheon cap to be protected against water and dust.

12. In a look: a lock body having an enlarged head and having a bore the mouth of which opens to the front of said enlarged head through a counterbore; a key controlled lock cylinder rotatable in the bore and having its front portion disposed in said counterbore so as to be accessible for key actuation at the front of the enlarged head; a ledge on said head projecting forwardly therefrom and overlying the mouth of the counterbore, said ledge having a recess therein opening to the front of the ledge adjacent to the mouth of the counterbore; an escutcheon cap fixed over said enlarged head and extending around the front and underside of the ledge thereon to close the recess in the ledge, said escutcheon cap having an aperture providing access to the front of the lock cylinder; a cover engageable over the escutcheon cap to close the aperture therein and thereby render the lock cylinder inaccessible; means mounting the cover for fiatwise swinging motion toward and from said closed position about an axis forwardly of the front face of the lock cylinder and substantially in line with the plane of the body of the cover, said means including an upward extension on the cover projecting through a relatively close fitting slot in the escutcheon cap adjacent to the underside of the ledge and into said recess in the ledge; and spring means disposed in said recess so as to be enclosed by the escutcheon cap and reacting between the lock body and the cover for yieldingly holding the cover in a closed position.

EDWARD N. JACOBI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,961,456 Rubner June 5, 1934 1,982,956 Jacobi Dec. 4, 1934 2,213,814 Jacobi Sept. 3, 1940 

